Submarine Development Center inaugurated in Kaohsiung
August 03, 2016
The ROC navy’s Haihu is expected to be joined in service by Taiwan’s first locally produced submarine no later than 2026 under the government’s policy of strengthening the national defense industry. (Courtesy of MND)

The Submarine Development Center was inaugurated Aug. 1 in the southern Taiwan port city of Kaohsiung by CSBC Corporation, Taiwan, underscoring the commitment of the firm to building the country’s first domestically made submarine.

“The government wants to build Taiwan’s first submarine and more vessels for use by the navy and various government agencies,” CSBC Chairman Cheng Wen-long said during the ceremony. “We are ready to offer our full support to the government and will seek technical assistance from abroad.”

Supporting the national defense industry is one of CSBC’s corporate missions, Cheng said, adding that the Kaohsiung-headquartered firm produced 116 vessels for the Republic of China (Taiwan) navy between 1975 and 2015. These include frigates, missile and patrol boats, as well as transports.

Through utilizing related sectors spanning naval engineering and certification, construction materials and production equipment, the center will boost the competitiveness of the local shipbuilding industry and create jobs, he added.

In addition to expanding collaboration with academic and R&D institutions at home and abroad, Cheng said CSBC will continue fostering local talents so as to enhance the country’s naval engineering proficiency.

One of the policy priorities of the President Tsai Ing-wen administration is strengthening the national defense industry. In line with this commitment, the Ministry of National Defense announced June 20 that the navy will spend NT$470 billion (US$14.84 billion) between 2018 and 2040 on 12 shipbuilding projects.

Indigenous submarine production is a key plank in this policy. During a news conference in the run-up to this year’s ROC presidential election, Tsai said she anticipated the first vessel would be launched by 2026.

During Tsai’s Miami transit stop in June en route to visiting ROC diplomatic allies Panama and Paraguay, she met with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and said Taiwan will need technical support and assistance from the U.S. to achieve its goal of indigenous submarine production.

The ROC navy currently operates four diesel-electric submarines. The Haihu and Hailung were purchased from the Netherlands and commissioned in the late 1980s, while the Haipao and Haishih are former U.S. Navy boats acquired in the early 1970s. (SFC-E)

Submarines at a navy base in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The eight locally made submarines will replace the existing foreign-built underwater vessels, two of which were built during World War II and two others in the late 1980s.PHOTO: REUTERS

Taiwan plans to build eight submarines to bolster its current fleet of four ageing vessels, its navy chief said yesterday.

Navy chief Lee Tsung-hsiao yesterday confirmed that Taiwan aimed to build eight of such vessels, after President Tsai Ing-wen announced two weeks ago that it will develop its own submarines.

Officials told lawmakers yesterday the design for the new vessels will be finalised by early next year and they will be in service by 2027.

A total of NT$2.9 billion (S$133.7 million) will be set aside from last December to December 2020 for the design of the submarines. The eight locally made submarines will replace Taiwan's four foreign-built underwater vessels. Two of these were built in the United States during World War II, while the other two are Dutch-built submarines, commissioned in the late 1980s.

China has at least 53 diesel-powered attack submarines, mostly based in Hainan.

Ms Tsai had also earlier announced plans for Taiwan to design and manufacture its own supersonic training jets.

While Taipei said the plans to develop its own submarines and training jets were part of a push to revitalise the local defence industry, experts point to the growing military threat from China.

In January, a group of Chinese warships led by the Liaoning aircraft carrier entered the Taiwan Strait. China has more than 1,500 missiles aimed at Taiwan, according to the Defence Ministry.

Taiwan has been unable to buy submarines and aircraft from the US and European suppliers given pressure from Beijing, which sees the island as a renegade province.

Then US President Barack Obama blocked a US$1 billion (S$1.4 billion) arms package for Taiwan last December. Taiwan and the US are now engaged in fresh arms sales talks, which Taipei hopes will include technology transfer and parts for its self-made submarines.

But there are concerns that the summit between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, to be held today and tomorrow, could jeopardise the discussions. Giving an update to lawmakers yesterday, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology said it will draw on its experience from an ongoing upgrade of the existing submarines to build the new vessels.

But analysts have expressed doubts over whether Taiwan can develop its own submarines and jets.

Tamkang University national security expert Alexander Huang told The Straits Times that while Taiwan has built its own warships, it will need the expertise of veteran US or European submarine builders to build an operational submarine.

"In areas such as integrating weapons and communications systems, only the foreign companies have the know-how and materials. We need to import or else it will be too difficult, even impossible, to do it ourselves," he said.

But Professor Liu Fu-kuo, executive director of the National Chengchi University's Taiwan Centre for Security Studies, said the island might have already received help.

"For the Defence Ministry to openly commit to deliver a design blueprint by next year, it must be confident it has or will get the resources and support to meet its goals."